


I Hope I didn't Keep You Waiting

by TimeLadyoftheSith



Series: Prompt Generator Insanity [5]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Being stood up for a date, Colormayfade Prompt Generator, F/M, Human A, Rose to the rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 10:54:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11439372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimeLadyoftheSith/pseuds/TimeLadyoftheSith
Summary: It's been three weeks since James saved his neighbor, Rose, from a spider. He's waiting for another woman for a date, but it's getting later. Why does the waitress have to stare at him so sadly? Wait, who's sliding into the chair? That's not his date!Sequel to "Kill it, Please!"





	I Hope I didn't Keep You Waiting

James Smith took his seat at the table meant for two at the small restaurant. He checked his watch again. It was only three past seven, so not too late. He had told Loraine he'd be there at seven. He was a bit nervous. Approaching thirty five, he'd only had two relationships that had lasted longer than a year. It wasn't that he didn't know how to be a good partner, it was just that they never quite worked. All of his breakups had ended amiably.

So when Loraine, the lovely brunette that ran the front desk at his nephew's primary school had asked him out, he had been pleased to say yes. "What can I get for ya?" The chipper voice of the waitress drew him from his musings.

"Just water thanks. I'm waiting on someone." He smiled up at the girl, probably no older than sixteen and recognized her from Sarah Jane's journalism class. "Oh! Hello Amanda!"

"Mr. Smith! Hi!" The bubbly redhead's smile blazed wide. "Got a date huh?"

James chuckled and shook his head. "Somethin' like that."

"Well, I'll be right back with your water!" She bounced away, her fiery braid swishing behind her.

He turned back to his table and glanced at his phone. It sat ominously quiet. Still, it wasn't too soon to give up hope. Amanda returned with his water, and a promise to be back soon to check on him.

James waited. Fifteen past, half past, forty-five past, and his phone sat silently. Losing the war with himself, he picked it up and typed in a quick message asking if she was on her way. Silence.

"Mr. Smith." Amanda was back, her youthful green eyes a bit soft with sympathy. "You sure you don't wanna order?"

"Yeah." He felt the sting of embarrassment. A student, comforting him, blimey he'd never hear the end of it come Monday. "I'm sure. She's just running a bit late. Car trouble."

"Right, well, I'll be back in a bit." She shook her head and hurried away to the next table to refill their drinks. The elderly couple there looked over at him, and the wife gave him a smile that he guessed was meant to be encouraging.

Eight o'clock, and still no call or text. This was getting downright depressing. James' stomach growled, but he refused to give up so easy. At eight-fifteen, Amanda reappeared and slid a glass of wine onto the table. "On the house." She whispered, before scurrying away again.

The crowd was gathering, as there was a match playing over at the bar area. He knew he was getting looks, but he ignored them. At eight-thirty he gave in and took a sip of his wine. He was finally accepting that Loraine had stood him up. The elderly couple walked past him to leave, and the woman patted his shoulder gently as she went by.

Now things were plain ridiculous. Embarrassment gave way to a tinge of anger. Thirty four and a half years, and he'd never been stood up before. He found Amanda at another table, and was about to wave her over, when the smell of an enchanting vanilla and sandwalwood perfume greeted his nose. It was vaguely familiar, but before he could recognize it, someone spoke.

"James! I'm so sorry I'm late! I hope you didn't keep you waiting!" His eyes traveled up to see his neighbor, Rose Tyler, smiling down at him. She leaned down, pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered. "I'm here to rescue you. Play along." She pulled away and slid gracefully into the chair across from him.

"Rose!" James' knew he sounded as surprised as he felt. He hadn't seen his neighbor since fixing her chain after the spider incident three weeks before. "I was so worried! I'm glad you made it okay. Did you get that car problem fixed?" Amanda was looking over now, and the young girl flashed him a thumbs up.

"Yeah. Flat tires can be brutal to change in heels." Rose extended her long leg to expose the four inch black heels exposed just past her business pants. "But, I did it!"

"Fantastic." The surprise was giving way to pleasant joy as Amanda skipped over to take their orders. He got a steak and veggies, but Rose settled for some baked fish and chips. She flashed him a tongue touched grin as Amanda brought her a glass of wine as well.

"So, how was work?" Rose took a sip and shifted in her chair. Her honey eyes were sparkling warmly as she spoke. "My day was pretty fortuitous."

"My day was pretty ordinary. My students did quite well on their weekly assignments." He couldn't help but smile at her choice of vocabulary. "Fortuitous huh?"

"Word of the day on my calendar." Rose winked at him playfully. "I'm also happy to report, there have been no more eight legged beasts in my flat." She gave a firm nod to emphasize her point, just as their dinner arrived.

Rose dug in with earnest, obviously famished from her day, and James followed suit. A companionable silence fell between them. A sudden memory slapped him in the face, and he nearly choked on his bite of broccoli.

"You alright?" Rose paused her fork midway to her mouth and arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah." He took a swallow of water to clear his throat. "I just forgot, until now." He leaned forward and beckoned her with a finger. Rose mimicked his posture and moved closer. "You left your bra at my apartment. I keep forgetting to bring it over." He tried to whisper so that the low murmur of the crowd would keep them from being overheard.

Rose gave a squeak and flushed crimson. "Oh!" She bit at her bottom lip and chuckled. "I was wondering where it got to." She looked back down at her plate to finish. When Amanda came by to ask about dessert, Rose shook her head. James also declined, and waited for the check. Before he could reach for if, Rose's hand snapped out and slammed down on the folder.

"Rude!" James murmured, pulling his hand back. He was going to pay, even though she technically wasn't his date. "I'm supposed to cover the bill."

Rose shook her head and pulled her wallet from her purse. "Nope! Consider it repayment for slaying the beast and repairing my castle gates." She smiled brightly at him, and slipped the money, including a hefty tip for Amanda, into the folder. "Well come on, before we miss our VIP reservations at the club." She hurried to her feet and wriggled her fingers at him.

James arched an eyebrow and stood, lacing his larger hand through hers. Was she serious or was it part of the act? He kept his mouth shut as she dragged him outside to the sidewalk. "Thank you, but how did you know I was in there?" He didn't miss that Rose was still holding his hand.

Her cheeks flushed pink, and her plump lower lip caught between her teeth. James noticed that she was definitely dressed for a date and not just a day at the office. The heels were sparkling with glitter, and her eye makeup was a bit heavier than the day he drove her to work. "I was across the street." She pointed at the tiny, intimate, restaurant across the street. "Somebody was supposed to meet me at six, but they never showed. I saw you go in, and when I gave up waiting, I walked over here for a drink." She raised her free hand up to tuck hair behind her ear. "I saw you sitting alone, looking downright depressed, so I decided to come save you."

James was grateful she had mad that decision. It was a blow to his ego to be stood up, but Rose's shy smile was enough to soothe that. Remembering the morning he dropped her off at work, he dropped a kiss to her cheek. "My hero." Her cheeks flushed even darker, and she pulled his hand.

"In all serious though, I do have VIP reservations at a club." She started walking, pulling him along. "And you're coming with me."

He stumbled along behind her. "Why me though?"

"I told my boss I was bringing someone." She paused by where his car was parked. "I mean, unless you don't want to drink on my bosses tab."

James considered it for a moment. He wasn't much of a clubber, but the sparkle of anticipation in her eyes was intriguing. For a brief moment he wondered if he'd be treated to a dance. "Oh, alright! In you get!" He unlocked the passenger door and helped her slide in. "What's the address?"

Rose rambled it off, and James recognized it as a new place that opened last month Some of his younger teachers had been gushing over how hard it was to get in because it was always packed. He chuckled smugly to himself. Not only was he getting in, but he was getting in on the VIP with a beautiful woman.

Rose stared out the window for a moment before digging into her purse. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. She must have put it on speaker phone, because the sound of ringing was suddenly louder. A canned greeting of a voicemail filled the car. "You reached Jimmy's phone. Leave it at the beep."

"Jimmy, it's Rose. Listen, this is the third time in a month you've stood me up. It was also, coincidentally our one year anniversary." She looked up at James for a moment as she paused. "Consider this me dumping you, for good. I'll have Shareen bring your stuff over." She clicked her phone off and let out a gush. "Well that was a long time coming."

"He wasn't worth even that courtesy." James felt a bit of anger raise up at this Jimmy person. Rose seemed like a genuinely sweet girl, and she was gorgeous. She nodded in response, but stayed silent. An idea formed in his mind. "Rose, how about I take you out on a date, a proper date?"

Her eyesbrows shot up in surprise, and she looked down at her nails with a blush. "Why though?"

"Do you not want to?" He pulled in to the valet line at the club and waited for her to speak and the valet to come over.

"Well, yeah, I do." She met his eyes slowly. "You really want to?" The valet opened their doors, and when they reached the VIP line, Rose's hand found his.

"Yes I really want to." James raised her knuckles to his lips. "If you don't mind being seen with a big-earred court jester."

"More like a leather knight." Rose gave him a tongue touched smile as they reached the bounced holding a list. "I'm Rose Tyler, and this is James Smith. He's my plus one." She pointed at the list in his hand. "See, it says there I can have a plus one."

James laughed and followed her along into the dark and thudding club. He'd always had a plus one, but never been one before. Watching Rose wriggle her through the crowd, he realized he didn't mind in the least.


End file.
